Chapter 42: Fighting Expert

Inside the police car, Xiao Yu was deep in thought.

From the family’s account, the deceased’s body was accompanied by relatives from the moment it entered the funeral home until it was taken to the cremation chamber.

After cremation, the staff handed over the ashes, which the family then placed into the urn to take home. There was no opportunity for the ashes to be tampered with during this process. The only potential issue could have occurred during the cremation itself, which was not open to observers. Thus, a switch during this time was highly plausible.

According to the case file, the investigators who initially handled the case had reviewed the crematorium’s surveillance footage. It confirmed there was no apparent chance for body theft during any entries or exits.

The surveillance footage from that year was still archived.

Did it defy logic? A human body cremated and turned into pig bone ashes?

Would magic dare such a feat? Would a movie dare to portray this? Or was this a supernatural occurrence?

Just as Xiao Yu was fully engrossed in contemplating the case, suddenly…

Screech.

The police car came to an abrupt stop.

Startled, Xiao Yu turned to look at Guo Qiang.

“There’s trouble,” Guo Qiang said with a serious expression.

Indeed, trouble was afoot. Through the car window, Xiao Yu saw seven or eight muscular men assaulting someone by the roadside.

The scene unfolded on a bustling street surrounded by numerous shops, right outside a fitness club. The attackers, clad in gym attire, were beating someone who lay on the ground, curled up and shielding his head.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Yu flung open the car door and strode towards the fray, with Guo Qiang quickly following. Both were in plain clothes, as detectives often eschew uniforms for ease of operation.

“Stop, police!” Xiao Yu said as they approached.

The group of muscular men ceased their assault, eyeing Xiao Yu with a mix of ferocity and confusion.

Police?

Their skepticism was understandable.

Xiao Yu, with his good looks, could easily be mistaken for a celebrity rather than a police officer. Despite being 22, he still gave off the vibe of a university student. This was a point of mild frustration for Xiao Yu himself.

It wasn’t as if he could fault his parents for his handsome appearance, right?

Upon displaying their police badges, the demeanor of the eight muscular men shifted.

“What’s going on here?” Guo Qiang, with an imposing presence, faced the muscular men with a stern expression. “Why are you assaulting this person?”

Silence followed, though the crowd of onlookers around them grew. People had one undeniable trait, they loved drama.

Xiao Yu crouched down to examine the victim. Covered in blood and unconscious, the man was severely injured. Pulling out his phone, Xiao Yu dialed 112 for an ambulance, his gaze fixed coldly on the eight muscular men before him.

“Staring at what? Think being a cop makes you special?” one of the musclemen glared back at Xiao Yu.

Huh? 

Xiao Yu was taken aback, then he internally mused, ‘I haven’t even gotten serious, and you’re already challenging me? Little brother, watched too much gangster cinema, have you? Daring to challenge the police?’

“Everyone, hands on your heads and squat down,” Xiao Yu commanded, without wasting words, to the fitness enthusiasts before him.

Guo Qiang pulled out his phone to call for backup from the dispatch center.

“Squat your mother,” another muscleman retorted. “You got a gun?”

Xiao Yu was completely taken aback, sensing that something was amiss.

In this day and age, how many people would dare to openly confront or insult the police? Was it a lack of intelligence, or did they have some backup?

Then, the situation escalated bizarrely.

Suddenly, one of the muscular men shouted, “The police are hitting people, the police are hitting people,” as seven of them encircled Xiao Yu and Guo Qiang. 

Meanwhile, one individual quietly slipped away.

It clicked for Xiao Yu. He narrowed his eyes, fixing a cold gaze on the retreating figure. It wasn’t that they were stupid, it was likely that this individual was involved in something serious.

Suddenly, the man who had been sneaking away broke into a run.

“Stop!” Xiao Yu commanded sharply, moving to pursue.

“Go to hell.” 

Another muscular man threw a punch at Xiao Yu’s face.

As the fist approached, Xiao Yu’s mind accelerated. The legal system was well-developed in the modern day, including specific laws against assaulting police officers. The consequences of such actions were severe.

These men were bold enough to initiate a confrontation?

That meant the fleeing individual had to be involved in something particularly serious. 

At least, it must involve something far graver than the crime of assaulting an officer. But what could it be?

Tilting his head, Xiao Yu narrowly dodged the punch that whizzed past his cheek. Ever since obtaining the ‘Fighting Expert’ skill from the system, he had been itching for a real fight but hadn’t found the right opportunity.

In a flash, the myriad of fighting techniques ingrained in his brain, body, and even at the cellular level, surged wildly.

Evading the punch, his body suddenly sprang forward like a leopard. His legs whipped around with the force of a broadaxe.

Thud!

His leather-shoed foot connected with the side of the hefty man’s face. The muscular man, standing at least 1.85 meters tall and weighing over 90 kilograms, toppled to the ground like a felled tree, then lay still.

The scene momentarily froze, everyone around stunned into silence.

As Xiao Yu prepared to pursue the individual who had managed to sprint a few meters away, the remaining strong men regained their senses and charged at Xiao Yu with a flurry of punches and kicks.

Damn! Xiao Yu nearly let out a curse, quickly turning to shout at Guo Qiang, “Catch him! I’ve got this.”

Guo Qiang paused briefly, then without another word, sprinted after the escaping strong man. As one of them attempted to intercept, Xiao Yu’s movements were swifter, pouncing forward like a leopard on the hunt. He raised his arm, delivering a merciless chop to the man’s throat with the edge of his hand.

Thud!

The man clutched at his neck, doubling over.

Xiao Yu’s knee crashed into the strong man’s face. The force of the blow sent the man tumbling to the ground, unconscious.

“I’m warning you all for the last time,” Xiao Yu’s gaze was icy, chilling to the bone as he faced the remaining five strong men, “Hands on your heads and squat down!”

The five men exchanged glances, their expressions turning savage once more as they lunged at Xiao Yu.

Something was very off. Xiao Yu’s expression hardened.

Had they lost their minds?